National Day of Slayer, LLC, which is described as "a non-profit corporation in the State of Wyoming," has launched a web site urging as many SLAYER followers as possible to take part in "the National Day of Slayer" on June 6, 2006.

A posting on the site reads in part, "6.6.06 isn't a date that comes around very often (once per century, to be exact), and while plenty of stupid horror movies and terrible albums will be released for the hype value of the day that bears 'the number of the beast,' we here at NDoS decided that this would be a perfect day for Hessians across the country to come together and engage in something upon which we can all agree — listening to SLAYER!

Also, do you really want those evangelicals to have all the fun with their 'National Day of Prayer'?"

They might have arrived with grunge, but Pearl Jam had always more of a classic rock edge than most of the Seattle reprobates - now they're playing in Dublin on 23rd August. Tickets on sale 29th April.

Metal on the Nolan show! No shit! Rottfest666 caused some Pastor to get his knickers knotted. Listen on the link below (click The Nolan Show) as Dean stays calm, Potty Pastor goes ape and some 38-year-old metal head :) goes toe to toe with Pastor dude.

Therapy? celebrated the launch of their new album (One Cure Fits All) with an acoustic set at Belfast's HMV and a signing session afterwards.

A fine set it was too, with Nowhere, Die Laughing, Rock You Monkeys, among old faves, with a smattering of tracks from the new album unveiled to about 100 devotees. Andy's normal growl was replaced with, wait for it, a hint of melody. Mind you being Therapy? it was melody with menace :) and Michael's acoustic bass was laying it down 'good and proper'!

Props to the guys for spending so much time signing posters, albums and various other assembled bits and pieces and....for confirming that their next Belfast date is at the Spring and Airbrake on June 4th, and promising to see if it was going to be an all ages gig.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Thanks to the Potty Pastor on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show slagging off Devildriver, Rottfest and all things metal the gig got plenty of free publicity - now to make sure that the gig goes off a storm. This one goes well more to come next year!

The media hysteria over Rottfest is proving a welcome boost - with all the fuss and furore hopefully more people will get to hear about the festival! So far it's been covered in the Irish News, BBC Radio Ulster News, the Nolan Show and dozens of web sites!

Here's the Irish News article

And the full official press release is below:

For immediate release

Belfast goes metal!

First ever open air heavy metal festival in city

ROTTFEST: 06/06/06

NORTHERN Ireland’s thousands of heavy metal fans are set to flock to Barrow Square, Clarendon, Belfast, on June 6th to witness the city’s first ever open air heavy metal festival.

Six bands will take to the stage in a packed line-up, headlined by leading US metal act, Devildriver.

Festival promoter, Dean Stevens said the one-day festival was a feast of metal for heavy rock fans.

“This is an amazing event for metal fans,” he said. “Devildriver are a top act. And we’re excited that the outrageous US act – Nevermore has joined the bill.

“Everyone involved in Rottfest is ecstatic that the city can now lay claim to its own metal festival.”

Also on the bill are four up and coming local rock and metal acts: Stand-Up Guy, Honey for Christ, Bad Boat and Residual Effect.

The concert is being promoted by the Rotterdam Bar, backed by Laganside and sponsored by the Rotterdam and Jagermeister.

Tickets priced £20 are available now from the usual Ticketmaster outlets or from www.ticketmaster.ie

Therapy?'s album number 11, One Cure Fits All, is out this week. You can listen to the track Sprung, find out about online stockists, read the album lyrics and enjoy Andy Cairns' exclusively talking about the creative process at http://www.therapyquestionmark.co.uk/one-cure-fits-all

This weekend Therapy? are doing 'acoustic in-stores' in the HMV Belfast at 5pm on Friday (28th April )- plus a DJ set that night in Lavery's.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Great grandfather of Metal, overlord of the inner circle of Hades and the only bloke Satan salutes, Lemmy, is set to unleash his might Motorhead rock 'n' roll chaos on the Point Theatre, Dublin on 31st October, Hallowe'en night! It's the first night of a 19-date UK and Ireland tour, no word of a Belfast date, but can I personally on behalf of all our glorious metal city's metal throngs invite dearest Lemmy to play a warm-up show in a smal bar, using the monicker adopted in the past, Iron Fist & the Hordes from Hell. I promise only to tell 1,000 people...

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Ok, with news that Armored Saint are playing Belfast, Cult of Luna, Glyder, Deftones and a host of others - not to mention the not to be missed appearance of Devil Driver at Rottfest 666 - there is a clear and present danger that metal heads will end up broke!

A brief calculation on the cost of beer tokens and merch cash for forthcoming Belfast concerts and the Dublin Download extravaganza shows the cost is equivalent to the GDP of Guatamela. So if you know the owner of Guatamela can you ask him if I can sell off his Third World country to finance my addiction to metal ...

Saturday, April 15, 2006

News reaches us here at Belfast Metal Reunited of more gig news - Therapy? are set for a Mandella Hall gig, The Answer will be at The Empire; both in May. Swedish progressive doom metal merchants Opeth are playing in Dublin the night after 'Tallica (June 12th)

Also, Slayer look set for an autumn European tour - Ulster Hall date may be in the offing if a certain promoter can be persuaded....

And don't forget Rottfest 666 - if this one goes well it could be an annual event. With its closeness in date to Dowonload future dates could see Download acts make the trip to l'il ol' Belfast - let's make sure this first ever Belfast Metal Open Air Festival is a success!

Friday, April 14, 2006

For those with exceptionally long and obscure metal memories, there once was a Floridian power metal band by the name of Savatage (Baal will recall them from Big Rab's!). You can check out one of the worst videos ever for a great song, Hall of the Mountain King here and find loads of obscure metal videos here including Accept, Queensryche's Queen of the Reich, Hellowe'en and a couple of Megadeth especially for Phil...

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Well, it's rare but sometimes bands reckon the version committed to CD isn't good enough...this week Mastodon said that the version of Metallica's Orion that was on last week's Kerrang! cover disc wasn't the best possible version. Citing production etc the band have now put the version that they are happier with on their myspace site for download.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

L'il Ronnie has hooked up with Tony Iommi to record new tracks for a forthcoming Sabbath album...hang on though, it's only a couple of tracks for a Best of...to tempt us from our hard-earned cash. Read more here.

Been sitting listening to the Queensryche Operation Mindcrime II album for past day or so, and still not sure whether it is top notch prog metal or a piece of indulgence. Don't get my little metal head wrong - it's a great album, with some excellent songs, great musical preformances and an intriguing narrative. However, sometimes the joins are forced. Nevertheless congrats to Geoff and co - seems a long way since they supported Dio at Antrim Forum (and no I'm not kidding you young ones!) and the crowd greeted them with barely disguised indifference until Queen of the Reich.

And while talking about albums (you might not have been, but I was) I intend to sign off each post on this blog with what I am currently listening to - sort of like Kerrang's old 'Decks of Doom' but more confusing.

Sunday, April 09, 2006

I'm talking about Kerrang!'s remastered compilation of band's doing Master of Puppets...eight bands doing a track each - and a few surprises...

This had the potential to be a complete waste of space, despite the good intentions of paying homage to one of the greatest albums of all time. And the varying production and engineering standards make it too erratic in terms of mix to make it truly great.

But - the tracks:Battery - Machinehead turn in an energetic and faithful cover - capturing the energy and Robb Flynn really sounds like he is enjoying himself.Master - Trivium try to be too faithful - almost too respectful the sheer exuberance of their playing has been lost; maybe they were too much in aweThe Thing - Mendeed are one of the few bands who try to give their own interpretation of a song off Master. It takes a lot of swallowing to listen (excuse the mixed metaphor) to someone doing this differently; but after their average showing on the Trivium guest slot, this was a wee bit refreshing. It's not great and barely manages good, but brave try.Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - You'll love this 'Slinger - actually no you'll love my comment - Bullet for My Valentine don't do a particularly good cover of this. Again more workmanlike than inspired.Disposable Heroes - Chimaira are one of those bands forever bubbling under - but here they blast through Heroes. The vocal style takes some getting used to - a cross between Araya, Hetfield, Lemmy and Howard Johnson (of Killswitch Engage). It won't be too everyone's taste (you'll hate it Baal :) ) but it is a good cover.Leper Messiah - The REAL SURPRISE! Let's face it Fightstar are a joke hardcore band formed by Charlie Simpson of Busted, but this is probably the second best cover on the album!!Orion - Mastodon prove they are simply one of the best of the new generation of metal. You can almost imagine Cliff looking down past those enormous bell bottoms and headbanging in approval!Damage Inc - Errm, Funeral for a Friend have produced some good songs and some average songs - they have murdered this classic!

In summary - I would have rated all of the bands, with the exception of Fightstar and Chimaira as either good or potentially great, but only Fightstar and Mastodon ended up capturing the spirit of Master of Puppets, an album that mixed technical perfection with metallic aggression.

For the rest of the bands - stick to your own material; you have paid homage - now move on!